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							<h3 id="sidebar-content-header">Aging Population</h3>
							<p>The continuous rise of population aging is generally caused by these two demographic transitions: from a regime of high mortality and
							high fertility to a regime of low mortality or increasing longevity and low fertility or declining fertility. A declining fertility means 
							that the number of babies born annually or in a particular cycle is reduced, and in effect, reduction of younger people also happens. On 
							the other hand, increasing longevity means that there is an increase in the number of surviving older people, thus raising the average/mean 
							age of the population. Between these two factors, the largest contributor to the world's aging population today is the declining fertility. 
							Over the last half century, there has been a large decline in the world's over all fertility rate, and has been the primary cause of the 
							aging of population for most of the world's developed countries. And since faster fertility transitions happen in a lot of developing 
							countries today, they are expected to even experience a more rapid population aging in the future compared to today's developed countries.</p>
							
							<p>Statistics taken over time and worldwide comparisons reveal common trends for developed countries in the world. Life expectancy has
							lengthened and birth rates have fallen causing the increase of older people in the proportion of the total populations. As health care 
							professionals and specialists have increased their capacity to deal with extreme cases and cater to terminally-ill patients, the 
							percentage of individuals who are dependent and disabled has significantly grown.</p>
							
							<p>The rapid aging of the population becomes an alarming issue to every country's acute and long-term health care systems worldwide.
							Ambulatory care services, nursing homes, other adult care institutions, and rehabilitation facilities increase in number, size and 
							complexity. In effect they become important components of the health care system of the nation. The provision of services required
							for more complex care to be administered for the aging patients will come from the creation of effective systems of care that allows 
							patients to move back and forth among acute care hospitals, home care services, sub-acute care services, ambulatory care offices, and
							nursing homes that are within an integrated network of services and facilities.</p>
							
							<p>As the aging of the population affects every area of health care, it has become one of the major significant issues in the health 
							care system. Generally, the rate of aging is almost five times that of the overall population growth. In U.S. alone, it is estimated 
							that by the year 2050, 30% of its population will be of age 65 years and over. It is projected that a doubling on the number of 
							individuals who are over 85 years old will occur, but the number of individuals who are under 35 years old will decrease by 10%.</p>
							
							<p>Population growth for individuals that belong to the 65 years and above bracket poses a significant issue to the country's health 
							care providers and policymakers. Moreover, the fastest growing sector of the aging population is the number of individuals who are 
							85 years and older. Because this age group is composed of individuals who tend to be sickly and entail more medical services than
							the younger elderly, the group becomes more demanding of the health care system.</p>
							
							<p>Even though after their retirement the elderly adults will stay active and be more educated, the health care system will still be 
							facing the great challenge of the burden of the incurable chronic diseases of later life.  The number of chronically ill patients
							and the extent of chronic diseases will increase as the advances in medical technology present ways to sustain life. There would 
							also be an increase for the necessity for personal assistance. As a result, the productivity of the workers is affected by the 
							intensity of care needed by the poorer in health elderly adults. And as for women, it would be common for them to work part time 
							or leave the workforce to take care for their ailing families or relatives at the season of their lives when they should be focusing
							on investing for their retirement funds in preparation for their own old age.</p>
							
							<p>An issue that has posed a challenge to the ability of the nation's health care system is the increased number of elderly 
							individuals who have chronic physical diseases and long-term cognitive ailments. A collaborative combination of services including
							a wide spectrum of medical, physical and psychosocial needs is required for the chronically ill elderly individuals. Consequently,
							this creates a need for a massive increase in the number of health care providers who are skilled and trained in special philosophies
							and elderly health care. </p>
							
							<p>Significant gaps in financial coverage for long-term care needs are being faced by the increasing number of elderly adults. 
							Since long-term care services are expected to effectively deal with the chronic ailments, Medicare and other private insurance
							plans are unable to address the functional limitations of aging. The cost of long-term care services are primarily tolerated 
							by the elderly adults and their caregivers, except for a relatively few individuals who have personal long-term care insurance.
							The continuous incapacity of the health care systems to effectively deal with these discrepancies shows the indistinct priorities 
							of the system.</p>
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